So restoring or modifying a car will have hurdles, no way around it; face ’em and deal with ’em. I think one could list them for days and still not cover them all. But let me cover the psychological ones that I’ve encountered. (Besides the dual persona necessary to own and own up to owning a Ford and a Chevy….oh, don’t worry, you read the multiples talk to one other…right?…whatever you say….Yes, they won’t have to read that again…we promise.)
Again, I’m sure there are many, but one by one, I’ll list mine and discuss. It’ll be good for us…I mean..me!!!
Most of these stem from always longing for that special car and then finally getting one. Now, if you pick up a “project” car, then chances are you aren’t going to get where I am until at least you have it running, driven it around a while, and developed that special bond. You know the bond I’m talking about, where you’ll do anything to spend time with it. Like, take the long way to work even though you might be a couple of minutes late or the “Sure honey, I don’t mind running to the store for you for the 14th time today. ” I don’t mind missing a little of the game.” That bond.
I bought both of my cars in very good to excellent condition. The Mustang was my almost daily driver, even when it was just a 6 banger, and the Vette replaced my Celica as the daily driver..by design. So, I developed the bond pretty quickly.
This bond drives “fear”, yes, I said it…”FEAR”. Fear that something might happen to the car, a crazy fellow driver, a knucklehead in a parking lot, the old guy that leaves his shopping cart in the parking spot next to you on a windy day. All truly horrible, truly.
But there is one thing worse: breaking the beloved thing yourself. It’s like accidentally stepping on your pet’s paw or knocking your child down while playing basketball. It can actually make you feel ill…right? Are you all following me? CAN YOU DIG IT? (from the movie Warriors).
Remember, I’m the Average Guy. I have a basic skill set; you won’t find me (Yet) pulling the tearing down an entire working engine. At least not alone and even then with much trepidation. I can’t image being deprived of driving my dream due to circumstances within my control; that’s just NUTS!!!!!
If you are on a limited budget, this multiplies the fear 120 fold…AT LEAST. You break it….you have to wait to get it fixed. Then your significant other is going to AT LEAST mention how much it might cost (over and over and over). “The commentary in this blog relates to a fictitious individual; any similarities or assumed similarities that might point to an actual person are merely coincidental and not intended to be projected onto my very understanding spouse.” (Love you..Honey!!!) (pst..how was that…pretty good, huh?..Yeah, that should cover my butt…JUST fine. Of course we have a very nice couch!!!)
Two days into 2010 and everything seems to be going fine, so far. :^)
I promised some details on my 1984 Corvette, so here ya go.
1984 was the first year for the new, much-awaited body style. There were no 1983 Corvettes, depending on what you read, there were a few made but not in production and were sold. Each generation of the Corvette has been placed in to generation categories. These were designated as C1 (1953-1962), C2 (1963-1967), C3 (1968-1982), C4 (1984-1996), C5 (1997-2003), and C6 (2004 to ……).
The C4 took a long time to develop, starting in 1978 (we’ll do more details another time), and was very innovative. For example, it had the Z51 racing suspension (a fairly new development), all digital dash with graphs as indicators for mph and rpms, extremely low drag co-efficient, and all electronic shifting transmission. We’ll cover more later on.
My C4 is red and came equipped with 205 hp 350 Crossfire Engine (more on this engine later on), Z51 suspension, electric driver’s seat, traga top. Here is a picture:
The story of how I obtained the Vette is a good one. So go get a beverage and sit back and read. This is one of those stories that I’ve always read about and said “What luck that guy had…nothing like that would happen to me.”
THE STORY
Actually, it’s a pretty cool story on how I came to own the Vette.
Purchased my 1970 Mustang a while ago (picture attached) and I wanted a fox body Mustang to go with it.
I had a cherry 1995 Toyota Celica with Bella Niche rims and I put it up on Craigs List offering to trade it for a fox body.
I got a call from a lady living here in Tucson that wanted the Celica for her daughter. I told her I wasn’t interested in selling it and she said didn’t want to purchase it but to trade a 1984 Vette for it. (I thought “No one trades a Corvette for a Toyota.”)
In the course of 3 months, it was an on again off again deal. She wanted to give her daughter a car for Christmas, but her daughter wanted the Vette. But props to Mom, she wasn’t going to give a 16 year old that kind of car. In our conversations it was revealed that the daughter tossed a fit and said she didn’t want the Celica. Christmas came and went and in January the lady calls me again.
Finally, we set a time to meet, but still I was thinking either the Vette was trashed or something was up. I was also concerned that the perception might be that I took advantage of her, to me who in their right minds would trade an American icon car for an import? To my surprise we agreed to meet at her husband’s Auto A/C shop. So I started feeling a little bit better, at least her husband must know something about cars. So I showed up and things improved, the husband actually had a restored Ford Galaxy and another in the works. They got better when he stated that the Vette was his wife’s car and she wouldn’t drive it and it’s just taking up space. She bought it but never really drove it.
I was even more pleased when I found the Vette in excellent shape (recent repaint that wasn’t great but not too bad, I grew up in an auto body shop, so I know good paint). It was all original, only 32k miles with the Crossfire engine (I didn’t know much about the Crossfire..but I sure do now as I’ve recently rebuild the injector towers). Anyway, both cars went up on the lift and we looked them over and test drove each others. Vette had very good power, shifted a little hard, but not too bad. We agreed to sleep on it and within a week I was the 3rd owner of the C4. Title swap only.
Yeah, I know, this was one of those deals you only read about in a car magazine.
For this evenings writing I thought I’d give you a run down on my Mustang.
WARNING: Caution Chevy owners you are going to hear Ford stuff!!!! This blogger does have a split personality.. Ford vs. GM. I catch a lot of <insert bad word> from my Corvette club and the same from the Mustang guys. I’m learning to live with a split persona..”No you’re not!!!”…”Yes I am!!!!” “HEY guys…not NOW…they’ll notice.” “Fine!!!!!”….”He started it!!!!” ENOUGH!!!
Sorry folks, must have missed my medication this afternoon. Sooooooooooo..oh…yeah…I remember.
I purchased the Mustang about 4 years ago from a family in Glendale, Az., for $6000.00 cash. They were the original owners and purchased it in Phoenix, Az and handed it down their daughter. She is the one I purchase it from. So, I am the 3rd owner. The car was in pretty good shape but had over 173K miles. Engine was a 250 straight 6. No power. It had dealer installed AC and when you turned that on..forget ’bout it (insert heavy NY accent) you could walk faster. Ok, not really the 250 was rated at about 155 hp but it had 10:1 (or 9:1) compression and for some odd reason they stuck a single barrel carb on it. “What?” you say….I say yup..it was a Webber. It also sported (and still does) a 3 speed manual transmission mounted on the floor. The interior was recently re-done and in good shape, except for the dash. All the gauges worked. The original radio was replaced with a crappy first generation cd changer (located in the trunk…pretty convenient).
Here is a program note. When see the word “TIP” you’ll know that this is something you might want to jot down.
I’m going to give you the details for how the Mustang came “configured” when it was ordered. Later on I’ll give you the list of modifications and if anyone likes (comments…good or bad…are welcome and questions as well) I’ll pass on my web site link and you can see some before and after pictures.
Get ready here comes the first programming note.
TIP: I love the history of a thing. Sometimes, to me, the history is more important than the actual value of the object. As far as cars go documentation will increase the value, sometimes considerably. So where’s the tip? Ok….just for being patient I’ll give everyone a double dose. Keep the paperwork!!!! If you are buying a car ask for any and all paper. Some people keep everything, you’d be surprised. My Mustang came with a folder full. Anything major done with this car was in the paper work. There the second dose. Find a registry for the car make and model. A registry is here someone or some organization contacts owners or is contacted by owners and the list all the details of their particular cars. The individual or organization often create databases and store all the collected information. They are a fountain of information for you to use when getting the details, similar to what you’ll see below in a second, for your ride.
TIP: (No extra charge for 2 tips in a row!!) Ford lovers check this out. There is place in El Mirage, AZ called Marti Auto Works. They own the rights to the Ford databases and records prior to 1974 (some models up to 1989). These guys have everything..I mean everything. Give them the VIN number and they’ll pile on the data (it’s not free but very reasonable). They are authorized by Ford to reproduce window stickers and Protecto Plates (identification plates that go on the inside door jamb). I had them run the number for my ’70 coupe.
Here are some of the details:
The car sold for $2984.20 (ha…2o cents!!!) . The engine was less than the radio. TIP: Insurance companies may only insure your car for the sticker price, that is what my regular insurance company would do. Get some collector car insurance!!! We’ll cover that together in the near future.
She came with the 6 cylinder 250 IV 250, vinyl Hi-back bucket seats (Mach I seats), color-keyed carpeting, floor-mounted shift lever, Instrument gages, factory Ford color “white” color code “M”, black sidewall “belted tires” and AM radio.
(HELP: If any one knows why most people refer to their cars as “she” or “her” drop me a comment. I’d like to here some suggestions.)
It was ordered and sold from Don Sanderson Ford Inc, 5300 Grand Ave., Box 938, Glendale, AZ. It was shipped from Dearborn, MI via rail. Come on now..how cool is it to know how it was shipped?)
Kevin Marti will provide you with an “Elite Report” this includes very detailed data. I’m not kidding..right down to how many were produced exactly like yours. I won’t type it all here, I can send you the level of detail if you drop me a comment and ask for it. Here’s an example: 191,522 Mustangs were produced in 1970; 15, 300 had the straight 6 engine; 107 had the same seats. My car was one of 1,146 with the same paint and trim codes. It was the 58,634th Ford vehicle scheduled for production at the Dearborn plant. And here is my favorite. “Your car was actually produced on January 28, 1970 – one day behind schedule.” Cool? Way Cool!!!! Hey, she has a birthday coming up..40 years old!!!!
I think that’s enough for now. Tomorrow – a run down on the Corvette…..”OH YEAH….love GM!!!” …”So the Ford got to go first!”..”That doesn’t mean anything!!!”…”Does too!!!”….”Not!!!” I’ll take my meds tomorrow!!! Promise!!!!
I’ve had this book on the shelf for a couple of years now. It is a great reference to own. The book is by John M. Clor and it features Mustang Memorabilia, a lot of cool stuff. First thing inside the front cover is a CD entitled “Sounds of Mustang”. Yup you …
Replaces that is, boot as in shifting boot. (Were you thinking…since I just got back from the Barrett Jackson Auction.. I was considering getting rid of the Stang ? Nope..but I tell you there were a couple of cars I’d even swap for…that’s for sure!!) When the 4 speed trans got …
If you searched and found or followed my posts on restoring the dash-board of my ’70 Mustang, then you might recall my planning/scheduling issues. As I was taking the old dash pad off, I realized that I hadn’t order the plastic pillar molding. When I finally called a few Mustang parts …
The last I blogged about my Mustang I had finished up the installation of the new dash pad and replaced all the bulbs and cleaned up a few years of dust. If you recall (well you don’t have to, just go back and read the posts) I talked about planning and …
I’ve the pillar post moldings painted and ready to installed. I put on 3 coats of paint. Now I have to remove the dash pad (again) and install. That will be later this week, my Corvette is still in shop and the Mustang is my back up car. Thanks for reading more to …
Caulk another tasks down on the restoration of the Mustang. I finished up the pillar post molding last night. Here is the before: Now these were not as labor intensive as the dash-pad but here were some issues. We’ll walk through them. The removing the dash-pad was chronicled in my earlier post and that was …
So I’ve “blogged ya” some history, now it’s time for some current stuff. Of course my Dad is a car guy and my brother is pretty handy with a set of wrenches, but 24.2 years ago I married into a family that pretty much made most of the car guys I had known in my adult life (ok the adult part is debatable) mere tinkerers.
I have three brother-in-laws that were raised in the car business and not just a little bit of a car business, but a full-blown mechanic shop, engine building, stock car sponsoring, car show restoration, towing type business. These guys knew more about cars by the time they were teenagers, then I did when I was 30 (yeah..I’m over thirty..and not just a little). This guys know their stuff. I now have nephews (their kids) that are even giving me a run for my money.
So I’ve set this up, pretty well, and keep it in mind because when I get to the physiological hurdles of restoring a car, you are going to understand my particular issue and you might relate.
(I seem to start a lot of sentences with the word “So”. So I’ll try to limit the use of it. You might also notice that I use ‘…..’ between words. I do that for to give emphasis on a larger more dramatic pause the you get from the run of a mill comma. Nope not grammatically correct…but a habit I might break….if I get enough comments about it from the readers of this blog.)
So here is a quick introduction to my cars.
1. 1970 Ford Mustang Coupe. I’ve owned it for approximately 4 years and I love it. This is my first real restoration.
2. 1984 C4 Corvette. First year for that generation, everything is unique. Although not my dream generation of corvettes, I love this car. Ever since my uncle put me in his Corvette, I’ve wanted one. When I joined the Air Force my goal was to finish up by second degree become an officer and by a Corvette.
Ok enough for this evening. Tomorrow I’ll give you the run down on each. I have a great story on how I got the Corvette.
